Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Gaara-no-Jo
Summary: Temari is kidnapped and there doesn't seem to be anyone to help the bereaved Kankurou and Gaara. As a last resort they look to Shikamaru but even in Konoha there are no leads to be found. Could a lost bird lead them to there missing sister.
1. Chapter 1

I don't remember where this idea came from...but as soon as I had it I typed it up and I found it, worked on it and now I'm putting it up. It'll be short though...like...three or so pages. 

I think I'm trying to be romantic again...I dunno. blinks Yeah...so... um...

Stuff. Read, review, eat a sandwich...or something!

Edit: went all retarded and cut out part of the story. This should be all of it.

The wind swirled around the two shadowed shinobi, howling as the rain pounded into their exposed bodies. Kankurou and Gaara searched tirelessly nonetheless. More was at stake than their comfort. Lighting cut the blackened sky and thunder complained as they would not give up. But the two sons of the desert sands were not afraid of being wet, of being cold, but they were afraid of losing those that they loved. However, their calls were being lost on the storm.

Kankurou landed near Gaara and wiped water from his face. "They don't call this Rain Country for nothing," he muttered. "We should turn back and search when the storm let's up."

"No!" the younger ninja snapped. His sand molded into a shell around them providing shelter fromthe rain. "Storms here can last for days. We don't have that much time to spare."

"But we don't even know where she disappeared, we haven't found a single hint of where she is..." Their hearts sank at this realization. "We'll keep searching but let's interview the natives one more time. Maybe they forgot something."

Gaara shut is eyes tightly, the rain pouring from his hair to his face almost appearing as tears. "Temari... Where did you go?"

_A two weeks earlier..._

Temari shoved another change of clothes into her bag. Last to be placed was the message to the Daimyo from the interim Kazekage. There were only three ninja villages between Sound and Sand. It was important to gain the people's trust and favor if they were to overpower Orochimaru's exceptionally dangerous village. It was an honor to be the messenger of the scroll though the mission itself could have been done by genin. As such, she would go alone in case a more pressing mission needed the talents of her brothers.

The two younger Sand Siblings were downstairs in a heated game. She could her their occasional shouts and furious tapping. Shouldering the small bag and tucking her tessen into her belt, she said good-bye to her room and went downstairs. Kankurou had Gaara in a headlock as they played.

"Isn't that cheating, Kankurou?"

"Yes!""No!" The both yelled. Gaara, however, did not seem distracted by the chokehold and scored a point. The game complimented his achievement with an exuberant "Great!".

Temari smirked. "Let him go, Kankurou. I'll be back in a week. Don't trash the house. Don't give each other a hard time. And don't go into my room. Got it?"

"Week. Trash. House. Hard. Room. Got it," Kankurou listed while his eyes and most of attention stayed on the television screen. She rolled her eyes and put on her sandals. Though he said nothing, she was sure Gaara at least had gotten the rules and was likely to follow them.

"I'm going," she called back from the open door.

"Yeah."

"Bye." The door slid shut with a gentle click and Temari was on her way.

A week passed and the two younger ninja had succeeded in all of her rules except for giving each other a hard time. They were both ready for her to come home, expecting her any day. The sun shined past thick clouds one day as Kankurou was intensely reading a horror novel on the couch and Gaara perched himself at the window waiting patiently for her four pigtails to appear on the walkway.

"Do you think something happened?" he asked idly.

Kankurou turned a page and settled into a new and more comfortable position. "Nah. She probably just got carried away with shopping and all of that new stuff is weighing her down. She'll be back tomorrow, I'm sure." This satisifed Gaara, who left his post and went to his own room.

Three days had passed from her initial due date and indeed both were concerned. Kankurou finished prepping his puppet for travel. He's expression was contorted into deep thought. "Four days...both ways. Even if she stayed a day, she'd be back by now..."he thought to himself. That explanation played in his mind over and over again. Somehow it was irritating that she was not back. Worry, a silent voice in his mind answered but he ignored it.

Gaara opened the front door and picked up his gourd that he left behind. He offered to go to the central office to see if any word had been heard from her and what Temari's specific orders were. She was to deliver the message and return immediately. Something had gone awry. "The message never got to the daimyo."

"She was intercepted," Kankurou stated plainly. "Let's go. No rest until we reach Rain Country." He shouldered the puppet and left with his brother.

Unfortunately they found that Rain was going through it's appropriately named rainy season. It would be difficult to track her movements and time had already been against them. Kankurou realized almost immediately that finding her would be impossible unless the villagers had seen something. And they hadn't. Temari was as silent and unobtrusive as the wind she controlled.

_Presen Dayt..._

When they entered a bar conversation ceased, as the two ninja's of Sand took a seat. Wet and cold, the ordered hot red bean soup and rice. The waitress delivered their order in a few minutes and left with a bow.

"What should we do?" Gaara spoke up. "No trail, no leads. If we don't come up with something, they'll tag her a Missing Nin."

Kankurou spooned some soup into his mouth and growled at this. "She's not a traitor. She didn't just run off."

"I know that," Gaara snapped. "But rules are rules." He tried some of the rice but he didn't have the appetite. He shoved his meal to Kankurou. "What if she's de-"

"Eat. You need the energy." Kankurou shoved the food back. "Temari would tell you to eat and you'd do it." This was true and the Sand wielding ninja began to eat. They finished their meal in silence and ordered a room.

As they settled into their beds, Gaara more to relax than anything, a crack of lightening illuminated their room and stark faces. "We should tell him... that she's missing."

"Who? Baki?"

"No... Shikamaru." Kankurou groaned loudly in protest. He didn't like the fact that his sister was messing around with a Leaf ninja, especially that one. "She'd want us to tell him. Better he hear it from family than rumors that she's a Missing Nin. He might even help us."

"If we can't find her then he can't help," came his dubious reply.

"Still..."

"Fine! We'll sweep the area one more time, if we don't find anything we'll go." The discussion ended with that.

_Temari dashed through the tops of the trees dodging branches and vines. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She wasn't sure what was happening but a voice inside her head screamed for her to flee. Behind her she could hear the loud sounds of a predator chasing her and the voice became more frantic. _

_"If I stop, I die," she heard the voice tell her but she getting tired, he chest felt like it was going to explode and her arms were burning as she sped through the trees. To the west was home, but south was Konoha, and something told her that she would be safe there. _

_So that is where she headed, ignoring the pain in her body. Ignoring the sounds of snapping jaws and howls behind her, she went south until final her body could support her will no more and darkness swallowed her like the predator's she fled from._

Unlike Rain, Konoha was having some of the hottest weather that it ever had. Even for the early summer months. The solstice was coming up but if felt as though spring had relented tosummer without a fight. It was the time were the deer at Nara ranch were active and mating. Shikamaru and his father began to harvest the horns of some of the bucks before they got around to impaling each other on them.

Shikamaru wiped his brow with his forearm. He had stripped his vest and was only in his fishnet shirt and shorts. One of his favorite does was begging his attention and he obliged her, feeding her grain from his palm. "Hn, needy women," he joked. She bleated and nuzzled his stomach lovingly. He brushed his hand free of debris and stroked her neck. He took a quick look around before leaning into the does large ear. "_Who's a pretty shika? Who's a pretty little deer? Yes you are!_" The doe gaves him wet kisses on his cheek. He laughed and patted her strong neck.

He grabbed a rake that was resting on a tree and began raking up the fall leaves and debris. It was a job he had started yesterday, amassing an already large pile nearby. Thankfully, the deer hadn't gone and destroyed it by jumping in it. He pushed a pile towards the larger pile and almost collapsed it the soft grass and leaves himself when he noticed a beautiful bird lying, as if dead in it.

It had two long flowing silver tails that curled at the tips into crimson. The body was a light lavender and it had a yellow crest that fanned from his head. It was quite possibly the most beautiful bird he had ever seen. He knelt down and picked it up carefully. He put its chest to his ear and was surprised to hear its small heart beating, albeit slower than a usual birds. It opened an emerald eye and gave a weak chirp before closing it again.

"DAD! MOM!" Shikamaru called abandoning his duties. He ran home careful not to jostle the injured bird as he did so. His mother was at the door sweeping when he arrived. "It's dying. What should I do?"

She carefully took the bird and looked it over thoroughly. "Poor thing is exhausted... It must have gotten caught in a storm and lost its way. Go back to your chores, I'll take care of it, but don't be surprised if it doesn't make it. Birds are the most fragile things." Shikamaru scowled but didn't want to delay the bird's treatment so he begrudingly went back to his raking. The bird stayed on his mind for the rest of the day.

Night fell before the two male Nara's had finished harvesting all of the horns and putting the deer away. Both were exhausted and Shikamaru wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a nap. The bird crossed his mind and he went to the living room to check on it. His mother was sitting down, working with colored yarn similar to the bird's plumage.

"Ah...how is it?"

"Fine. It's stabilized but tonight is critical. If if makes it then I'm sure in a few days it will ready to go home," his mother explained with a smile towards a makeshift nest of old towels bunched at the end of the table.

The thought that it would fly away and never return made Shikamaru regretful. Perhaps he should have kept it to himself. "Can't we keep it as a pet?" he ventured, sitting at the table watching the sleeping bird.

"Shikamaru! That bird is too wild to be kept as a pet. You'd break its heart," she scolded.

"Fine, fine...whatever." He stood up and headed to the bathroom for his shower.

Sunlight poked his eyes the next morning and though he pulled his covers over his head, he the rays were persistent and waking him. Try as he might, Shikamaru couldn't get back to sleep so he hopped out of bed. The cold floor stuck to his sweaty feet as she shuffled to the kitchen for dinner. He was greeted by the beautiful song of a bird. He looked up and perched on the shoulder of his mother was the bird. It flew over to him and he caught it on his finger.

"You're all right!" He smiled and stroked its chest. "I'm glad, you had me worried." It chirped in response and flapped it's wings a little. "My mom's a lot of things and a good doctor is one of them."

"Those other things better be just as nice, Nara Shikamaru," she threatened, waving a large knife. He looked worried but assured her that they were, whether he meant it or not.

Temari was thrilled to see Shikamaru again. "_Shikamaru! You don't know how happy I am to see you!"_ He simply smiled. In the reflection of his eyes, she saw herself. An elegant bird unable to be understood. But he's a genius, she thought, If I leave enough clues he'll figure it out in no time.

Shikamaru set the bird on his shoulder and sat down for breakfast. He scarfed it down, changed into his clothes for the day, and was ready to find Chouji for a relaxing day in the fields. His dad regarded the bird and was about to comment when someone knocked gently on their front door. Mr.Nara opened the door to find two young Sand ninja there. "Hm? Yes?"

"Can we speak to Shikamaru please?" Gaara asked. At this the bird went wild and landed on Gaara's head chirping madly. "...?"

Shikamaru ran over and grabbed the bird gently. "Sorry, it just kind of showed up. What's going on?" Their expressions told him that it was something painful. "Where's Temari?" The bird started chirping so he gently tried to silence it with his hand.

"She's gone. She went on a mission to Rain and she never returned. We were unable to track her," Kankurou explained. "So...we thought we'd let you know in case...you heard things."

Temari looked between her family and Shikamaru. "_Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankurou! I am **right here**_

The Leaf chuunin frowned at the news. "Missing? What kinds of things would I hear about that?"

"That she became a Missing Nin... She never complete her mission and she's been gone nearly a month."

_"A month! It has not been that long!...Has it?"_

Shikamaru shushed her and stepped out on the front porch with them. "So, you came here expecting she ran off to be with me?" he asked looking at Kankurou. He knew that of the two, he trusted their relationship least.

"Don't flatter yourself... Gaara suggested it because you got this thing for my sister so..." He shrugged.

Gaara reached out to pet the bird. "Will you help us look for her?"

There was a long intake of breath. "I would love to...but the odds are against us. If you went to Rain and didn't find anything then it's all be washed away. No leads?" Gaara shook his head. "Then we're shooting in the dark... We might have to wait until something comes up."

Kankurou grabbed Shikamaru's shirt and pulled him close. "Wait? Is that all you've got!" Gaara took the bird before it got hurt in the fray. "Our sister is missing and all you can say is wait! She loves you!"

Shikamaru looked at Kankurou with pained eyes. "I wish I could do more but I can't. I can't make clues magically appear and neither can you, no matter how hard that fact is. But if she was kidnapped, they wanted something. They'll be asking for it soon...so we wait."

"Let him go," Gaara whispered. "He's right." Kankurou glared into Shikamaru's black eyes for a moment longer before letting him go with a shove.

_"Kankurou... I'm right here! Can't any of you tell?"_ She alighted on Gaara's shoulder with her slender black legs. _"Gaara! Look at me! Look at me!"_ He did and petted her.

They three boys watched the bird for a second. "Nice parrot," Kankurou grumbled.

"She's not a parrot. She's some kind of tropical bird...I don't know where she came from but she almost died yesterday. She'll be strong enough to fly away soon." He stretched and jogged down the stairs. "Come on, let's go talk to Tsunade. Maybe she's heard something about kidnappings or at least she could help us out." Kankurou and Gaara nodded, following him.

Temari regarded her two brothers. They looked exhausted, even Gaara seemed more drained than usual. She pressed her body close to his face. Gaara's skin was cold and clammy. She flitted over to Kankurou and found some of the same. The older boy looked paler and possibly thinner. They were worrying themselves sick.

Kankurou looked at her and smiled. "Hey, you seen Temari lately?"

_"Ha-ha! I'm right here, dummy! And what have you been feeding our brother, he's like a corpse."_ Temari chittered. She cocked her head to the side.

"Heh, I guess that's a no. Are you lost too?"

_"I am not. Is your nose running? You were out in that rain! Geez, you two are hopeless. Big babies."_

Shikamaru smirked looking back. "It's like she understands, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

They arrived at the Fifth Hokage's office only to find Shizune and Genma there going over paperwork. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "Say, you guys seen Tsunade-sama?"

Shizune stapled a stack and shook her head. "She's asked not to be disturbed. She's working on a case right now and needs to concentrate."

"What kind of case?"

Genma leaned forward and chewed the needle in his mouth, shifting it to the other side. "Nevermind that. She's got a lot of work to do so you tell us what you need and we'll do what we can."

Shikamaru looked to the two Sand Children. The two jounin realized they were outsiders and prepared for an explanation. "Well... their sister is missing and they'd like some help."

"Hmmm, that sounds like a Sand problem not ours," Shizune said apologetically. "But... if we hear anything, we'll be sure to tell you."

Gaara and Kankurou nodded defeated. They hadn't really expected that the Konoha force would help even the slightest bit. They were right, it wasn't their problem and they probably wouldn't get paid for recovering another village's ninja unauthorized. It was a good idea but in the end it failed.

The sadness on the three boys faces was more than she could stand. Temari flapped her wings and flew off. "HEY!" Gaara exclaimed reaching out with his hand but the bird had already taken off.

Shikamaru sighed. "I guess its all better now... Come on, let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

You know… I'll be honest….

It's been a hard summer and I wanted to get this story finished soI can concentrate on other ideas. Admittedly, I didn't pull full effortn (ashamed). So... in my opinion it sucks sand but… who knows I might just be effected by this funky grey cloud I'm under. it thunders and rains on her Grrrrrr!

. I'll probably end up taking this down (or at least rewriting it) so enjoy it (or not) while you can.

Sorry

* * *

Gaara relunctantly watched the bird disappear into the sky when a blonde with a swaying long ponytail approached Shikamaru and punched him lightly in the arm. "Stop looking so depressed! Are you going to watch the fireworks tonight?" Ino held up a flyer displaying colorful fireworks. 

Shikamaru took the flyer and glossed over it. "I really don't feel up to it-"

"Why? Come one, Shikamaru! Stop being a lazy bum and come. Chouji's going and since you're the leader, you should come too," she pressed. It was only then that she noticed Kankurou and Gaara standing nearby. "Whoa, it's those guys!... Shikamaru?"

"Temari's gone missing. They just came to ask if I knew what happened to her..." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Ino winced and looked as though she tasted something bad.

Realizing she didn't want to be involved in drama involving the likes of the Sand siblings she back way and gaive a half-heart apology to Gaara and Kankurou. She ran down the street and met up with some friends. Shikamaru thought he saw her point there way but didn't dwell on the thought much.

"You should go to the fireworks..." Gaara spoke up. "They're your team after all. Kankurou and I will probably leave tonight."

"Yeah, since Leaf won't give us a damn bit of help!" he spat bitterly.

"I can't help that!" Shikamaru snapped back. They stood glaring at each other for a second before Shizune came running down the stairs. She held her chest and took deep breaths. "Boys, boys! I just got some information that might interest you." She handed a scroll over to Shikamaru.

He untied the read string and began reading a mission report for a group that headed north. His eyes went wide as we stared at the words before him. After he finished, much to the delight of an annoyed Kankurou and to a lesser extent Gaara, he rolled the scroll up and took off down the road.

"HEY!" Kankurou yelled. "What's going on!"

Shikamaru blinked and skidded to a stop. "It's Temari! I know where she is!...I mean... know what she is!" The two boys caught up with him.

"Slow down, we aren't following you, brat! What did the report say?"

"There have been a dozen kidnappings in the northern regions. All of them young, blonde girls. Pretty girls. It goes on to say that only one girl returned alive, or at all for that matter."

Gaara and Kankurou waited patiently for him to go on but Shikamaru seemed to pause to consider he words carefully. "GO ON!" the older boy yelled so loud, they caught the stares of passersby.

Shikamaru looked to the sky. "The girl couldn't speak. Only chirp. Like a bird... She was kidnapped again and disappeared. The report said they couldn't catch who caught her but her malady seemed like some joke of a jutsu... But I think it's a sick joke...and very serious."

"I don't get it. Someone's kidnapping girls and turning them into birds? Why?" Gaara inquired. He narrowed his eyes and took the scroll to read the report for himself.

"So we head back to Rain and find someone buying a ton of bird food." Kankurou clicked his tongue. "She really got herself into a stupid mess, but at least we aren't clueless."

Shikamaru crossed his arms and started walking. "Apparently you are. Temari was the bird I found. She almost died trying to get here and warn us."

Temari sat in a tree and watched the humans below her mill back and forth. The wind felt nice when it blew through her feathers. She hopped down to a stone wall and looked inside a store window across the street and saw a girl trying on a long-sleeved kimono. Something about it seemed familiar... She tilted her avian head and made small noise as the memory came rushing back.

_Temari stopped as she say a woman struggling with a trunk that had fallen off her carriage, spilling its content on the road._

_"Are those kimono?" she asked idly, adjusting her backpack. _

_The woman looked up and smiled. "Why yes. I'm a kimono maker. I hit a bump in the road and I suppose this wasn't very secure... could you help me?"_

_"Uh...Sure, I guess..." She looked at her pack, wondering if it would delay her much to help someone. Deciding it wouldn't and that she'd like a closer look at the woman's wares, she began to put the clothing back in the trunk. After a few minutes, all was set right and she began to secure the trunk on the carriage. "That should do it. This road isn't too bad but take it easy if you aren't in a hurry."_

_When she turned to face the woman, she was holding a kimono in her arms. "I want to give you this. I think it will suit you well."_

_"Oh! The thing is I'm a little in a hurry-"_

_"To see the daimyo, yes?" Temari narrowed her eyes a bit, which must have alarmed the woman, since she began shaking her head furiously. "Your bag slipped open and I saw the scroll. It's an official one. I've made kimono for the daimyo's daughters, you see. I know about court happenings."_

_Still hesitant, Temari checked her pack and secured the zipper. "At any rate, I really don't have the time. I was only helping so that kind of gift is a bit much."_

_"But it would look so good on you! I have just the obi and everything. No man could resist a beautiful thing like you in one of my kimono. I think the daimyo would be rather lenient on a woman beautifully dressed, don't you?"_

_It seemed to make sense and it would reflect well on Sand if she dressed elegantly. "...Well... all right. I guess it won't hold me back too much."_

_Delighted, the woman escorted her to the nearest town where she rented a room for the sole purpose of fitting the kimono on Temari. Indeed the garment was gorgeous. It was a light blue with strange long-tails birds flowing around it. It sparkled in the light with silver threads throughout. The long sleeves almost seemed like wings as she held her arms out, the woman began to fit the obi. It was a royal purple affair. The whole thing made Temari feel light, airy, and beautiful._

_"Aaah, I told you it would suit you well... Shall I do your hair? It's so beautiful..." The woman's voice seemed dreamy. _

_Blushing with embarrassment, Temari agreed, sitting down before a vanity. The woman took her ponytails down and began to brush her hair. The young kunoichi recalled the times when her mother would do her hair. The familiar feeling of that soothed her. She relaxed and did not recall falling asleep._

_When she awoke, the woman and the room were gone. Instead, she was in a cage. She yelled out but the sound was not her own voice, it came as a lilting warble. She saw the closed cage door and jumped over to it. She gripped the bars with her feet. She screamed and fell to the bottom of the cage as she let go in surprise. _

_The familiar woman approached the cage and smiled. "Awake, my pretty bird? You're an excellent addition to my collection." She opened her arms and Temari noted for the first time that she was in a room filled with hundreds of birds, each different. "I was lucky to find such a wonderful specimen for that kimono. Oh don't look like that. Such an ugly face even for such a delicate bird." The trickster wore a Cloud headband, but it was badly damaged. A missing Nin perhaps, she thought. _

_"You're angry now but soon you'll begin to forget who you are. The jutsu will eliminate all that makes you human and in short time... you will only exist to make beautiful music for me..." Temari gasped. The Cloud ninja laughed and began to walk away._

_When the door shut, Temari jumped back to the bars. "SHIT! I'm going to kill her! I have to get out of here..."_

_She pecked at the latch on the door but to no avail. "It's not working... I may be a bird but I should still be a ninja." She jumped to her perch and concentrated as best as she could, but already her mind was becoming hazy. She realized that her time was short if she was ever to escape._

_"Kamaitachi!" She flapped her wings and unleashed a small wind with chakra. It cut the latch almost through but enough was left that it held the door closed. Temari jumped on the door with her full weight and the door fell open. She swooped onto a desk and looked for an exit. There was none at the moment but the ninja would have to return home and then she would escape._

She shook her head as the girl left with friends to head to another shop. "_I don't have much time...I've already forgotten how to use jutsu..."_ Temari hopped down the ground feeling hungry and began peck and scraps. Suddenly, a shadow overcame her and trapped her. "_She's caught me! I'm going to die!_"

"Temari! Shhhh!" Shikamaru soothed. "Geez, don't make a scene." He gently released her shadow so that she could fly to his shoulder. She nuzzled his cheek happily.

Gaara petted her back. "You're safe now. We need to ger her Tsunade."

Kankurou considered his avian sister. "I don't get it... The guy was kidnapping pretty girls... So why was Temari even considered?" His answer was a furious pecking. "It's her! It's definitely her!" He said trying to protect his face.

"Serves you right... Let's go." Gaara held his hand out to his sister, letting her land on his fingers. They all headed to Tsunade's.

The Fifth Hokage blinked rapidly. "That story was true!" She had to pick her jaw from the ground... "To be honest... I have no idea what to do."

"WHAT?" Kankurou slammed his hands on her desk. "What kind of Hokage are you! You're supposed to know these things."

Tsunade stood up and leaned on her desk angrily. "Excuse me! And watch your mouth, you little brat, or I won't help you at all!"

"Sit down and shut up, Kankurou!" Gaara hissed. "Sorry... We're just a little agitated about this whole thing."

"I understand..." She sat down and laced her fingers. "I'll have to do some research… Until then you boys keep her safe." She caught Kankurou's expression from the corner of her eye. "I'll make it my top priority." Relieved, the boys and Temari left her office.

As night approached, Shikamaru and the Brothers of Sand sat on Nara's front lawn and stared at the sky. Mrs. Nara was relieved to know that she did not kill her son's girlfriend but went on a tirade about what kind of person makes such troublesome jutsu.

"Well, you boys should get ready for the fireworks. I put your kimono out for you, Shikamaru, and I got some for you boys as well."

"Aah, I-" Kankurou stammered. "We…" He looked to Gaara who looked equally at a loss. "Uh… thanks."

Shikamaru, however, was annoyed. "What do you mean get ready? Since when do you go making plans for us!"

"You're welcome! It'll be good for you boys to get out and enjoy some fun and games. I don't want to see your moping faces around here." She grumbled ushering Gaara and Kankurou into their room to get changed.

"Tch… Troublesome woman..." He walked into his room; Temari perched on his shoulder and shut the door. He began peeling of his clothing, when the door opened. "MOM!" Wordlessly, his mother walked in and gently snatched up Temari from her perch on his bedpost. She gave him a look that said, "She's still your girlfriend, you naughty boy" and left.

Shikamaru put on the forest green kimono with ivory vines printed crawling up the fabric and pulled his ponytail loose. He walked out from his room and greeted Kankurou and Gaara. Kankurou was in a simply black kimono with a moon on his shoulder and white grass at the bottom and Gaara was in a light gold colored kimono with a large eagle in the back and various feathers falling down. Both were blushing his Shikamaru's mother doted on them.

"You both look so handsome. Now go on and enjoy yourselves." She shooed them out of the door, kissing all three on the head before shutting them out.

"That was weird." Kankurou muttered, scratching his head.

"Don't let that mother routine fool you," Shikamaru griped. "She probably has plans and needed a convenient excuse to shove us out. Pft. Woman." He stroked Temari's head. "Well, let's go."

They found a spot on a hill to sit and watch the first round of fireworks. Temari was about to fly off to explore the festival, when Gaara caught her in his hand. "… Don't get any trouble…like…with a cat." Temari made a warbling laugh and nodded. He let her go.

She didn't get far in her flight before something snagged her from the air. My little gem... did you truly think that you could escape me..." came a familiar voice."I shall have to get you a better cage." With that, she was forced into a tiny metal prison, so small she could not spread her wings at all. "There, that will keep you from being any trouble.

"_You bitch! I'll peck your eyes out!"_

"You'll do no such thing! Such a dirty mouth, you should have forgotten you were human by now... Such a strong will." She considered Temari lovingly. She reached a hand out to stroke her blue feathers. "You certainly are a wonderful catch."

Suddenly the warmth of blood was on her face. She shook her head and noted the kunai piercing the Cloud ninja's outstretched hand. She turned to see Shikamaru standing down the lane, hair being blown in the wind.

"Let her go."

The Cloud ninja laughed a little and wagged her finger. "I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, if I do then-" The rest of the explanation as cut off as she fell backwards from the force delivered by Shikamaru's fist.

"I said… let her go." His tone was calm, even, yet somehow cold. Temari's cage was rattled, and she did her best not to get hurt when the ninja fell. She was startled at his speed. Was this really her 'lazy, cloud-watching genius'?

Rubbing the now purpling spot on her colored lips, the kunoichi rose to a kneel and gave Shikamaru a challenging look. "Oh, I see. This bid I have must have been very important to you. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but the jutsu is completely irreversible. By now, she's probably lost all of her humanity." She gave a rasping chuckle. "Shame really. I guess there's nothing you can d-!"

Again with amazing speed, Shikamaru struck; his kick sent Temari's captor skidding into a tree. Shikamaru knelt down and opened the tiny cage door. He gave her a quick look to be sure wasn't obviously hurt. Satisfied, his attentions turned back to the Cloud ninja. "If it can't be reversed then there's no reason to let you live." He shadow snaked towards the woman and climbed her body. A shadow-shaped hand wrapper around her throat and began to squeeze the life from her body. "You have made so many suffer. Temari nearly died escaping you. Her brothers have been worried to death. And I… have been put through enough." He ignored the choking noises coming from the Cloud ninja.

"Tell me how to reverse the jutsu," he ordered as the woman's lips turned from pink to blue.

"You can't re-" The hand tightened threateningly. "…The kimonos I make create the jutsu. I weave chakra into them…and… the clothes are bound to the wearer. There's nothing you can do! It's impo-"There was a crack and the ninja fell limp, head tilted further to the side than nature would allow.

"You didn't even let her finish…" Gaara mused coming from the shadows.

Shikamaru sighed. "It would have been troublesome to do that. Wasn't saying much anyhow…"

The young Sand child considered his sister and whispered, "What do we do?"

"Go back to Kankurou… tell him what happened…" Temari chirped sadly on his finger. "I'm sorry, love. This is one thing I can't figure out…"

"_That's not important, I suppose._" He raised her to eye level giving her a clear view of his regretful face. "_Silly, Nara. Don't go worrying about things you can't change. This is troublesome but…" _

"Shikamaru! Your mother says-" Hiashi looked at the silenced ninja on the ground. "What happened hear?"

Shikamaru sighed deeply, and stroked Temari's head and back. "I guess it's my duty as chuunin to tell you, huh?" He explained, leaving Hiashi mute. "I don't expect a medal or anything. I shouldn't have killed her in the first place but I guess I was upset…"

Hiashi considered the young ninja before him. "She was dangerous… I suppose we can forgive this. You want… no reward?"

"What I want…" he began. "No one can give." He leaned in and kissed Temari on he soft head. His lips lingered on her warmth as he closed his eyes tight, trying to recall what she felt like. Hiashi reached out to the bird and ran his finger down her back.

"Funny thing about clothes that aren't made well… Cut one string and they fall apart."

Shikamaru opened his eyes to address Hiashi but found his lips planted tightly on Temari's lips. They looked at each other for a moment, surprised they were seeing eye-to-eye before they realized what they were doing.

"AH!" he back off and rubbed his neck.

"Sorry." Temari blushed and looked down. The cord wrapped around her obi was cut and lying at her feet. "How did you know?"

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "He could see the flow of chakra and knew where the critical point was.Never would have thought of that. Thank you, Hyuuga-sama. I'll be sure to report this to Tsunade." He nodded furiously. "Now we can help the other victims." He rocked on his heels, trying not to think of the kiss and subsequently grin like an idioit.

"Young love. Hn." Hiashi muttered to himself. "Enjoy the rest of the night. Your mother says…"Don't leave you clothes bunched on the floor. She's not your slave.' Good night." With that he continued on down the path.

The young Leaf ninja pretended to be interested in the corpse. "Well, I guess I'll go report this attack. You should go see your brothers. They're worried sick. I was too, I just…" Temari moved over to him and hugged him tightly. "I…just…Ah…" He looked down at her as she looked up at him.

"Some genius…and it was the old man who saved me in the end," she teased.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Aaah, I think I liked it better when you couldn't talk… Your nagging sounded so much prettier."


End file.
